Anna vs. Breast Cancer, Round 1: Fight!

[annathepiper]

Went in today for the biopsy followup with Dr. Towbin, so that he could check and see how I'm healing and fill me in on what exactly the biopsy results mean.

He gave me a copy of the pathology report, which uses the already-mentioned term DCIS as well as "negative for invasive carcinoma". The parts that make one go "um" are the parts that indicate that this thing is starting to solidify, that it's growing quickly, and that at this time it is on the large side. Which pretty much means "okay, let's get this dealt with NOW". Kill it before it breeds, nuke the site from orbit (it's the only way to be sure), etc.

Dr. Towbin expressed a concern that due to the size of this thing, there's a possibility of other lumps in there--hence, we need an MRI to figure out exactly what we're dealing with and how the surgery will go. I now have an MRI scheduled for Wednesday the 3rd at fuckoff-early in the morning, and appointments with a medical and a radiation oncologist on Thursday and Friday, the 4th and the 5th. Then there will be another followup appointment with the surgeon, on the 8th, to deal with the results of the MRI and presumably schedule some surgery.

The scheduling nurse gave me a pink bag full of stuff that they apparently give to new breast cancer patients, which was kind of nice. There's a pink bracelet/anklet somebody made, a packet of orange spice tea (which I think I shall drink after I make this post), a packet of peppermints, a book called Breast Cancer Made Simple, a small pillow, a notepad, and a boatload of other informational booklets and flyers about support groups and the like.

I have updated my boss and her boss about the situation and they're being very supportive; hopefully this will only be a short-term massive disturbance to my work schedule. But we'll have to see how it goes.

Also updated my GP doctor so she's in the loop, and have had to reschedule my followup with my endoc as well; I was previously scheduled to see him on the 4th, the same day I'm now going to be seeing the medical oncologist, and I'd rather not drive all over the area to deal with a bunch of medical things on one day if I can avoid it. So. Hopefully I won't have to reschedule the reschedule, but much will depend on when Dr. Towbin goes in for the search-and-destroy mission.